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Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Doin' That Front Porch Thang...

With news of the devastation in Oklahoma, I want to say how very sad I am, as we all are, for those who have lost everything. Praying for some relief for everyone affected.

Things are coming along here. Several days ago I posted ideas for decorating my front porch, which you can read HERE.

I am nowhere near finished, but have been making a start at the porch re-do. It has been somewhat hindered by our new tenants, the bees. Several phone calls and no one seems able to give us a quote on removing said bees. Therefore, I'm trying to garden and decorate, albeit a little jumpy as the bees get too friendly. Dive bombing bees can be disconcerting! So far I haven't been stung, so I carry on.

Here are a few things I've been working on:

The easiest quick fix I've done so far for the porch has been painting the pots. I've decided to go with black, although I'll probably add in some more colorful pots as the summer goes on. Funny how much difference a quick coat of paint can make.

From YUK:




To NOT TOO SHABBY:


(Look how much more the details on the planter show up.)

After I dusted the pots, making sure to rub off any chipping paint, it took two coats of black spray paint to give them a good cover.  I've got quite a few more to do, but need to make another trip to Home Depot to replenish my spray paint supply!

A few weeks ago I made a wreath for the front door. It looked pretty cute for the beginning of Spring.


But I decided it should be in full bloom by now! Enter the glue gun and some more fake flowers from the dollar store:


Next up I bought some curtains. I found some sheer panels at Big Lots, which were on sale for $5. I was thinking of something more colorful, but now I'm pleased that I chose a more neutral light brown.



 
I used tension rods to hang the curtains. I'm not too happy with the "brass", so the rods will get a spray with white paint in the near future. I love the way the curtains flutter in the breeze. They really make the porch look cozy. In fact, I took them down to adjust, and when Big A walked out he commented how boring the porch looked without them. They just seem to fit the space.
 



Next up is painting the rockers. They have a matching little table, which I guinea pigged and painted an "espresso" brown. I wanted to make sure that I didn't prefer brown before I committed to painting the chairs. Now that I've painted the table, I'm certain I want them to be a glossy black as I originally thought.
 

 
 
The brown looks a little too BLAH to me. Don't you think?  
Now, just to keep it real, let me tell you about a little mishap I had. When I went to take the lid off the spray paint to paint some of the pots, I happened to pop off the little white spray nozzle. This happens once in a while.


And it's an easy fix. But in my infinite wisdom, I tried to push the little white spray thingy back on, and proceeded to spray myself full in the face. (Not so smart. And not so pretty. Spray paint does not double as eye-shadow as it turns out.)

With my face painted and my eyes burning, I felt my way (arms out, eyes scrunched closed) up the cellar stairs and down the hall to the bathroom to wash my face. And I thought, "Ooh, that's why they say to wear protective goggles".

So, regardless of my mishap - the show must go on. I have to paint the chairs, find rugs, finish the pots, and then PLANT. I also plan to paint the front door black, but I need help from Big A on that one. I'm planning on having this done by Memorial Day. Yeah, next week.

In the meantime, hopefully, I will manage to get rid of the bees. And keep the air-headedness to a minimum.

So what about you? Do you have any outdoor projects going on? I'd love to see them!


Linking today:

TUESDAY




























12 comments:

  1. What a great idea to use a double wreath and tension rods You were thinking!!! And the results are awesome. So adorable!!! Can I come live on your porch....? Please....???
    :)

    hugs xx Crystelle
    Crystelle Boutique

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  2. Looks great! I'd love if you'd like up to The DIY'ers: http://homecomingmn.blogspot.com/2013/05/the-diyers-and-some-favorites.html

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  3. Oh no! lol. Sorry about the paint troubles. Pretty sure the words "Should get some safety glasses" have come out of my mouth at least five times this month. Maybe I really should before things go really wrong! You'll put your eye out!

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  4. What fun porch updates!! I haven't really tackled my front entrance yet... been focusing on our back deck. Guess that comes next!
    Krista

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  5. Hi ladies! Thank you for your comments and support. I have a lot of work to do, but it's coming along!

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  6. LOL! I have done the same thing with spray paint so I feel you. Love what you've done with the porch. Maybe a pretty cushion for the rocker? I'm so glad you joined us this week at Transformed Tuesday. Have a great week.

    Hugs,
    Peggy~PJH Designs

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  7. I really like the touch of the curtains. Great job on them! They really do make the space feel more homey and show off your porch as another room.

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  8. It is really coming together nicely. Love the shiny black paint and the curtains are fabulous! Spraying yourself in the face sounds just like something I would do. So glad it wasn't too serious! Thanks for sharing with Share Your Cup. I'm sure it wasn't intentional, but I don't see a link back to the party.
    hugs,
    Jann

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  9. I love the rocking chair! I would love to have one for my house. I need to find a good one. We have the same patio furniture that I bought over 5 years ago. It's looking pretty sad. Thanks for sharing your fabulous decorating :) Krista @ A Handful of Everything

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  10. Love it all! Everything is wonderful and all together...AMAZING! Hugs and TFS!

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  11. Great porch ideas you've got going here! I want curtains on my porch too but it gets WINDY here so I'm trying to find a good hanging solution!

    I'm here from Juninkin Joes!

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  12. Thank you all for stopping by! I'm still working on the porch, storm delays... :-) Holly, the curtains looks so nice, but I admit, the tension rods do NOT work when it's windy and I've re-hung them about 20 times! Hubby is going to put up some hooks to keep them in place...

    Have a great weekend everyone!

    Julia

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Got thoughts and ideas for me? I would LOVE to hear from you! Julia